The Mirabelle Restaurant

The Grand Hotel,
King Edwards Parade,
EASTBOURNE,
BN21 4EQ

The Grand Hotel embodies glorious Victorian Empire pomp like few other seaside hotels. The Mirabelle restaurant makes an appropriately ritzy old-school setting, with cloches, trolleys and attentive and professional service. But there's nothing passé about the kitchen's contemporary take on flavour combinations and textures, with dishes revealing modern European thinking and fine-tuned techniques as in pike mousseline soufflé plated with salt-baked beetroot and truffled mayonnaise. Rump of Marsh lamb in a tapenade crust is served with sherry jus and a rosemary-flecked potato tortilla, and roast fillet of sea bass comes with potted shrimps, leeks and truffle. End in style with chocolate fondant with plum compôte.